INDIANAPOLIS -- The most dangerous intersections in central Indiana are in the crosshairs of officers trying to cut the number of deaths on area highways.

Red-light runners, speeders and drunken drivers are responsible for hundreds of crashes in Indianapolis each year. Officers hope a stepped up effort will help mitigate the number of crashes, and the corresponding number of deaths, 6News' Dan Spehler reported.

"The worst is seeing a child hurt. I'm a dad, and psychologically, you just (imagine) your own family in that, and it really hits close to home" said Indiana State Police Trooper Nicholas Sturgeon.

Typically, motorists think they're relatively immune from traffic stops if they exceed the speed limit by 10 mph or less, but officers involved in a crackdown at certain intersections aren't allowing that type of cushion.

"It's not like I'm heartless and don't have empathy for the violators," Sturgeon said, "but I'm out trying to protect them and protect others."

The five most dangerous intersections in Marion County, gleaned from a review of police records, are:

South Shelby Street at Madison Avenue

Shadeland Avenue at 38th Street

West 38th Street at Lafayette Road

Sherman Drive at Southeastern Avenue

91st Street at Meridian Street

The Marion County Traffic Safety Partnership, in conjunction with AAA Hoosier Motor Club, is working from a list of 10 intersections, where they are conducting enforcement through June.

Here are some additional intersections police have been closely watching:

38th Street at Lafayette Road

38th Street at High School Road

71st Street at Michigan Road

86th Street at Michigan Road

82nd Street at Allisonville Road

Stop 11 Road at U.S. 31

Emerson Avenue at Thompson Road

Federal and state grants are funding the added enforcement.

The following reports delve into the viability of red light cameras:

http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/04/430.asp

http://www.tfhrc.gov/safety/pubs/05048/05048.pdf

http://www.kcci.com/news/15013364/detail.html